In this Article

• What is a keloid?
• What is the difference between a keloid and a hypertrophic scar?
• What are the signs and symptoms of keloids?
• What is the cause of keloids?
• Which people are most susceptible to keloids?
• In which area of the body are keloids most likely to appear?
• Keloids and piercing
• Is keloid prevention possible?
• Is keloid removal necessary? What are the treatments for keloids?
• Patient Discussions: Keloid - Effective Treatments
• Keloid Glossary
• Keloid Index

Is keloid removal necessary? What are the treatments for keloids?

The methods now available to treat keloids are:

• Cortisone injections (intralesional steroids): These are safe and not very painful. Injections are usually given once per month until the maximum benefit is obtained. Injections are safe (very little steroid gets into the bloodstream) and usually help flatten keloids; however, steroid injections can also make the flattened keloid redder by stimulating the formation of more superficial blood vessels. (These can be treated using a laser; see below.) The keloid may look better after treatment than it looked to start with, but even the best results leave a mark that looks and feels quite different from the surrounding skin.

• Surgery: This is risky, because cutting a keloid can trigger the formation of a similar or even larger keloid. Some surgeons achieve success by injecting steroids or applying pressure dressings to the wound site after cutting away the keloid. Radiation after surgical excision has also been used.



• Laser: The pulsed-dye laser can be effective at flattening keloids and making them look less red. Treatment is safe and not very painful, but several treatment sessions may be needed. These may be costly, since such treatments are not generally covered by insurance plans.



• Silicone sheets: This involves wearing a sheet of silicone gel on the affected area for several hours a day for weeks or months, which is hard to sustain. Results are variable. Some doctors claim similar success with compression dressings made from materials other than silicone.



• Cryotherapy: Freezing keloids with liquid nitrogen may flatten them but often darkens the site of treatment.



• Interferon: Interferons are proteins produced by the body's immune systems that help fight off viruses, bacteria, and other challenges. In recent studies, injections of interferon have shown promise in reducing the size of keloids, though it's not yet certain whether that effect will be lasting. Current research is underway using a variant of this method, applying topical imiquimod (Aldara), which stimulates the body to produce interferon.



• Fluorouracil: Injections of this chemotherapy agent, alone or together with steroids, have been used as well for treatment of keloids.



• Radiation: Some doctors have reported safe and effective use of radiation to treat keloids.

Keloid - Effective Treatments

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